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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28470192">Illicit Affairs</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/marcusgriffin/pseuds/marcusgriffin'>marcusgriffin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The 100 (TV), kabby - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angry Ark Sex, Angry Sex, Angst, Casual Sex, Denial of Feelings, Door Sex, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Flings to Feelings, Friends With Benefits, Hospital Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Kabby, Light Bondage, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Pining, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Pre-Canon, Pre-Series, Public Sex, Punishment, Quickies, Season 1, Shower Sex, Smut, The Ark Station, Work In Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 01:02:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,375</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28470192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/marcusgriffin/pseuds/marcusgriffin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Realizing she hasn't had her needs met in far too long, Abby goes to Kane to help her take care of a problem. But things are never that simple. </p>
<p>Takes place before season one of The 100.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>119</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This chapter is a birthday gift for Irene. I don't usually write for birthdays, but I was feeling inspired and have always had this idea in my head of Kabby starting off as a casual encounter and unable to fight the feels that arise. Throw in Ark sex, and the rest is history.  So happy birthday, Irene, my best Abby stan! Love you. Hope you enjoy! </p>
<p>Chapter two is dropping next week, and I PROMISE Changing Tides is getting a proper ending very soon. :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A set of clinking glasses drew her from her daydreaming, the noise sharp against the backdrop of low-level talking and tinny music blaring through century old speakers. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Abby looked up and watched as Marcus Kane entered the bar, frame tall and jaw taut, broad shoulders pulling a well-worn long sleeve shirt over his expansive chest. His expression attempted to communicate to everyone in the room that he, as usual, was in charge. Fuck him. Actually, maybe that wasn’t a bad idea.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She instantly felt her cheeks warm and downed the rest of her drink, gesturing to the bartender for another. Clearly the alcohol was talking. She wasn’t a heavy drinker, and although there was only one drink in her system, it was enough to let those kinds of thoughts float to the surface</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <span>the kinds she usually squashed upon contact when sobriety was at the controls. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Abby,” he murmured, nodding stoically and settling down on the stool beside her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kane,” she replied dryly, staring down at her freshly poured drink. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“About the meeting today</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Drop it. I’m off the clock, and I’m too tired tonight for your bullshit.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She watched out of her peripheral as his eyes widened slightly. He snorted in disgust, knocked back his drink, and stood, presumably deciding to drink in his quarters instead. He’d really be doing them both a favor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I guess we’ll resume our discussion tomorrow,” he muttered through grit teeth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess we will.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Councilor." But nothing about his tone was sincere.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stood, face close enough to her hair that she could feel his hot breath. He pressed into her back for a short moment, letting someone slide past him, then brushed past on his way to the door. She watched him leave, eyes drifting down to where his black pants clung to the curve of his ass and vaguely imagined it uncovered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Savoring the rest of her drink, Abby contemplated her options. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was horny. There was no denying it. It had been almost a year since Jake passed, and she hadn’t had anyone in her bed since. When she wasn’t too busy grieving, she was too busy burying herself in her work so she wouldn’t have time to grieve. It was a vicious cycle, but between her daughter’s incarceration in lockup and her husband’s death, she was doing everything she could to try and stay afloat. Over the last several weeks it was beginning to occur to her that she hadn’t had her needs met in a very long time, punctuated tonight by how agonizingly good Marcus Kane looked dressed in black, stubble on his cheeks, engulfed by an air of superiority that usually made her want to hit him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But tonight she just wanted to fuck him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She took the last sip of her drink, feeling it burn her insides from throat to stomach. There were probably other men or women she could have. A quick scan around the bar revealed a couple of potentials for her to proposition, but the image of Kane was seared in her mind, imprinted. She knew he’d had arrangements with women before, including Callie, and she’d also caught him many times over the years staring down the front of her shirt during Council meetings, so it wasn’t like he was likely to say no. But aside from her husband, she had never been with anyone else, never dipped her toes in casual encounters, but casual is all she wanted. The grief of Jake was still too immediate to even consider giving her heart to anyone else. And Kane, with his lawful, detached approach to everything, was exactly the kind of person she needed. He wouldn’t judge, he wouldn’t ask too many questions. The last thing she needed was questions. She wanted to fuck, not talk. And it wasn’t like Kane was someone she could ever fall in love with. She despised the man, always breathing down her neck and waiting for her to slip up just enough for him to prosecute her and get her out of his neatly groomed hair, free to gain control of the Council. He worshiped the Ark law like it was some sort of religion, and his justice above people approach made her nauseous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Abby found herself standing outside of his quarters, startled by how easy this had been. She was confident she wasn’t inebriated. Two drinks was enough to leave her body warm and tingly and a bit uninhibited, but she was still very much in control of herself. This wasn't a drunken affair she would regret in the morning, this was what she wanted. Swallowing thickly, she lifted her fist and pounded on the door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s still open,” he hollered from somewhere in the room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She opened the door, greeted by the expanse of his back as he bent over his old Earth record player and reverently placed a record on the turntable. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you forget something?” he asked over his shoulder without turning around, clearly assuming she was someone else. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kane,” she said, watching with a tinge of amusement as he jumped at the sound of her voice and looked up in surprise, nearly dropping his record.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Abby? Sorry, Miller was… what can I do for you, Doctor? Decide you're in the mood for my bullshit, after all?” he asked derisively.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She hesitated, watching him, trying to get a read on him. Maybe this was a crazy idea. Okay, it absolutely was a crazy idea, but it also made some modicum of sense. He was the right man for the job, and that’s all this was. Satisfying a need. Scratching an itch. Relieving a problem.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want to have sex?” she asked, the words tumbling out of her mouth with more ease than she expected and hanging between them like a thick fog. And god, the look on his face for a fleeting moment was enough to make this all worth it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t answer for what felt like a small eternity. All she could hear was her own heart pounding and the occasional noise in the hall behind her. She hadn't even shut the door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stood there, arms awkwardly fallen at his sides, mouth ajar, and eyes wide, his expression downright dumbfounded for a second or two until he managed to return it to the neutral intimidation he wore like a mask every damn day. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kane stepped forward, meticulously, one step then another, until he was inches away, eyes scrutinizing. It felt like he was towering over her. Slowly, he lifted his arm and reached around her to shut the door, face close as his tongue darted out to wet his lips. She could smell the alcohol on his hot breath and slowly met his gaze. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just sex?” he clarified, hand now flat against the door behind her, trapping her there like a caged animal. It made her ache with desire. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she whispered, staring up at his eyes, two dark beads with something animalistic behind them. A hunger, perhaps, that she’d awoken. A beast he kept neatly tucked away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Abby, are you sure?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes and sighed, shifting her weight awkwardly. She'd been counting on him to not bother with questions.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I’m sure. Look, Kane, I didn’t come here to talk about this. I can find someone else if you’re going to stand there and patronize--”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence. His lips crashed to hers, and the sheer force of his kiss sent her head knocking back against the door, the metal cold on her shoulders. She gasped into his mouth as he pinned her there with strong arms and a broad chest she’d been imagining the feel of for weeks now, kissing her with a level of intensity she wasn’t sure she’d ever experienced before. It made her legs tremble and head spin, but she would never admit that to him. The idea of him growing smug over her submission made her dig her nails into his chest and until he whimpered, unable to grant him a single moment of pride. He retaliated by bending his knee up against her center, causing her to gasp. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Attack. Counter-attack. Retaliate. Fucking Marcus Kane was going to be no different than arguing with him, and that’s something both of them knew how to do very well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She tangled a hand in his hair and started returning the kiss with fervor. It was enough to make him momentarily submit, and he panted against her mouth, groaning when she pulled at his hair. But he didn't let her have the upperhand for long. He swiftly lifted her and pressed her into the door with his body weight, hands coming up to weigh and squeeze her breasts. She whimpered, head falling back, which must have revealed a tempting patch of skin, because he quickly buried his face there, sucking and biting hard enough to sting. It was even more intoxicating than the burning liquor she’d consumed earlier.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not wasting time, she tugged on his shirt, and he drew back long enough for her to pull it over his head. It left his hair in slight disarray, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever found him this attractive, mussed and wanting and hers. He was surprisingly more muscular than she’d imagined from the way his clothes clung to his lean frame. She hungrily admired his chest and arms with greedy, mapping fingers until he lifted her higher and tugged up her own shirt, mouth finding the newly revealed skin of her stomach with a hot, wet trail that led up to the curve of her creamy breasts. Why was he wasting so much time? Part of her wanted to beg him to fuck her right here against this door with people walking by outside, but begging Kane for anything was a level she refused to stoop to, no matter how wet and desperate for his cock she was. She’d just have to test his restraint and hope he submitted first. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She squirmed the rest of the way out her shirt and wrapped her legs around his waist, snaking a hand between their bodies until her fingers found his erection through the fabric of his pants. She rubbed twice, then squeezed hard, leaving no room for mercy. He shuddered, and she watched as his eyes flew shut and his breathing quickened, hips bucking into her fingers. It made her smirk to know she was capable of reducing him to this state with only the touch of her hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” he breathed, bending and nudging the fabric of her bra away with his nose. He drew her nipple into her mouth and sucked, rocking into her hand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She released him and unzipped his fly while he worked hers open as well. Shoving down his pants, she took his pulsing length in hand and enjoyed the feeling of a man’s heat against her palm for the first time in so long. It made her ache to be filled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was thicker and longer than she expected, and she teased his foreskin before pushing it back, revealing a deep purple brown head shiny with moisture. Quivering, he set her down long enough for her to kick her pants and boots off, but neither of them bothered to remove their underwear. He hoisted her back up against the door, took himself in hand, pushed aside her panties, and slowly eased his head to her entrance until he seemed confident enough her body was ready for him. With one swift motion, he buried himself inside of her and they both gasped, bodies shuddering.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Relief.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her head fell back against the metal of the door and his face found her throat, breath hot and mouth wet. He slid almost entirely out of her, then back in, hard, hips powerful and unrelenting, over and over again, each thrust driving her back further and causing her stomach to swoop. She let out a cry and quickly found his hand clamped over her mouth, tightly silencing her as he fucked her against the door to his quarters. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Be quiet,” he hissed, hips moving hard and fast and a wild, untamed expression on his face, so contrary to the usual stoic mask he wore. It almost made her come.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She bit his hand defiantly and he gasped and growled at her, shoving her harder against the door and fucking her roughly, the room filled with the sounds of wet slaps and labored panting. He wasn’t gentle, thank god. Gentle wasn’t what she wanted or needed. Gentle wouldn’t satisfy the hungry ache inside of her. Gentle wouldn’t help her forget about everyone and everything. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He slid a hand down and found her clit, forcefully rubbing her with his large fingers, coaxing her body higher with every movement. She cried out against his hand, trembling hard. It was embarrassing how quick this was going to be, how quick her arch-nemesis was going to bring her to a shattering orgasm, but judging by his own grunts and moans and the sweat on his concentrated brow, it was taking all his might to hold on as well. The idea of her making the ever so powerful Marcus Kane crumble so easily toppled was the final straw, and she toppled over the edge.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She dug her nails into his back, sobbing as she abruptly reached her climax, body quaking and squeezing him inside of her, his cock her epicenter. He let out a shout of his own, doing his best to muffle it in her throat, but it filled and echoed through the room, hanging in her ears as her world exploded in slow motion. He gripped her hips, shaking and grunting as he emptied deep inside of her, hot and pulsing, warm, thick, and abundant. They stayed like that, just breathing around tremors and aftershocks and racing heartbeats. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He finally lowered her to her feet. Her hand flew to his chest, bracing herself as she struggled to find her balance, still dizzy from the sheer intensity of her orgasm. He smiled warmly, a smile she hadn’t seen from him before, and snaked his arms around her to ensure she was steady.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can get you a cloth to clean you up…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” she said, gently pushing him away and bending to pull up her pants. “Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Surprised, she’d expected him to discard her like a used garment, limp and lifeless and thrown to space debris.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stood back and stroked himself a couple more times which caused her to pause. He shuddered at his own touch, cock twitching and softening in his hand, and she felt a new ache form deep inside of her. What was it about this man? Chuckling lowly, he watched her, giving himself a final stroke before tucking himself back into his pants and zipping up his fly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She finished dressing and glanced up at him. He closed the distance and for a moment she wondered if he was going to kiss her goodbye, but instead he leaned over and fixed a few strands of her hair that had escaped her braid during their fucking. It was surprisingly tender, maybe more tender than he meant it to be. She stared up at him as he finished, fingers lingering for a brief moment against her cheek, their eyes meeting. Clearing his throat, he dropped his hand and looked away. She felt her face flush and quickly turned around, fumbling with his door. Her hands were still shaking, damn him. She reasoned with herself it was from going so long without someone else’s touch, and that it had nothing to do with him or his particular talents. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pressed against her back and covered her hand with his, sliding the door open with ease. The bastard.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She rushed out as if fleeing the scene of a crime. Her face reddened the entire way to her quarters, and all she could focus on was his cooling come dripping down her leg.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She should have taken the damn cloth. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kane finds Abby alone in Medical late one night, and she quickly realizes this was never going to be a simple one night stand.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Enjoy horny, confused Marcus and some shameless semi-public sex in Medical. Thanks for all your lovely comments! They keep me (and Kabby) going.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She found herself working late tonight. Well, every night. So much of her life had revolved around coming home to a family after work, sharing meals with them, spending time together and creating memories. Now, when the work was finished, all she came home to were too-large quarters filled with nothing but ghosts. </p><p> </p><p>Abby walked over to her screen and swiped through patient records, burying herself in mindless sorting until her limbs and brain were functioning on autopilot. It was calming in a way, therapeutic. So much so that she didn’t immediately register the sound of heavy boots entering Medical behind her.</p><p> </p><p>“Abby?” </p><p> </p><p>She jumped, startled from her mind-numbing work and subsequent daydreaming. She glanced over her shoulder, and the figure she was greeted by standing in the doorway, hovering with disapproval, failed to surprise her one bit. </p><p> </p><p>“Kane.” Sighing, she turned back to her work. “What can I do for you tonight?” she scoffed, knowing full-well there was a verbal warning imminent. </p><p> </p><p>Truthfully, she’d been avoiding him. Or maybe they’d been avoiding each other. Ever since the night they’d shared a week ago, they never found themselves alone for longer than necessary. They were both professional adults, and operating routinely at Council meetings and in other business matters was no problem for either of them, but the few moments they’d found themselves alone in the Council Room or side by side in an elevator left things… tense. Which was really nothing new. She supposed it was comforting to know things hadn’t really changed. They were still at odds with each other. The only difference was now she’d seen him naked. </p><p> </p><p>“I was just… passing by,” he said cooly, stepping into the room and approaching her from behind.</p><p> </p><p>She could imagine his upturned jaw and sour judgment, but she refused to let it intimidate her. This was his usual game, and apparently knowing what <em> she </em>looked like naked didn’t do anything to soften his rigid exterior. And why would it? Kane wasn’t exactly the sympathetic type, and that's exactly why she'd chosen him. This was nothing more than sex between coworkers. A one night stand. An arrangement. </p><p> </p><p>“You always seem to <em> pass by </em> the minute I violate curfew,” she commented, rolling her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>She could feel him, feel his gaze penetrating her from several feet behind, imagined disapproval in eyes and face heavy with objection. She also imagined how quickly those things had evolved into hunger and abandon at her hand wrapped around his cock as he pinned her against the doorway in his quarters six days ago. It made her smirk.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you working on any active medical emergencies?” </p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” she lied, continuing to mindlessly sort patient records. </p><p> </p><p>“Abby…” </p><p> </p><p>She paused her sorting, startled by the way his breath was suddenly hot against her neck. He was close. Closer than she’d felt him since that night in his quarters. </p><p> </p><p>Her hand hung in the air in front of the screen, waiting, listening, wondering what he was going to do next. Judging by his complete lack of interest in being alone in the same room as her, she had assumed a one night stand was all this would amount to between them. Whatever <em>this</em> was. But to the contrary, his hands came to rest on her hips and his body lightly pressed against her from behind, and everything inside of her began to come alive. </p><p> </p><p>Her nostrils flared from his nearby scent, layered with the leather from his uniform and the soap he used in the mornings. </p><p> </p><p>“Abby,” he repeated, voice wavering some. Was he nervous? Maybe he expected her to turn around and slap him. He deserved it. Probably. He was being awfully presumptuous touching her like this. She swallowed thickly and closed her eyes, breath quickening. Slapping him was <em>not </em> what she wanted to do right now. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes?”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you… would you, um…”</p><p> </p><p>She couldn’t remember a time when Marcus Kane had approached her with so much caution and uncertainty. Just as she was about to label his nervousness as charming, her ego crushed the sentiment, leaving her smug over his anxious stutters.</p><p> </p><p>“Do I what?” she asked, smirking and pressing back so her ass came in contact with him below the waist. </p><p> </p><p>His hips jumped, either from surprise or stimulation, and she chuckled. Relentlessly, she pressed harder, heard his breath hitch, felt it hot against the back of her neck, and wet her lips. She had spent most of their adult years pressing his buttons, finding subtle ways to break him and gain the upperhand. This was merely another way of doing that.</p><p> </p><p>Nothing had changed. </p><p> </p><p>“You still haven’t answered, Kane. Is there a problem?” Besides the one prodding exctitedly at her ass, of course. </p><p> </p><p>He let out a quiet rumble, perhaps a growl, and pressed his lips to her throat, sucking firmly as his hand first squeezed her breast, then snaked down to cup her through her pants. She gasped and glanced up at him with wide eyes. </p><p> </p><p>There weren’t many people milling about this hour, especially past curfew while Vice-Chancellor Kane roamed the halls on patrol, but the door to medical remained wide open and anyone could have walked in. She always saw Kane as being somewhat of a thrill-seeker, even if his unaffected demeanor would imply otherwise, but enjoying public sex and the risk of getting caught was never something she expected of him. Then again, up until recently, sex and Kane weren’t two things she had ever put much thought into at all.</p><p> </p><p>At least not while sober or awake. </p><p> </p><p>He slid his fingers back and forth her length through her pants and continued to worry her throat with his lips and tongue. God, the man was already aroused against her ass, too, and not even halfway. He was so hard it was pitiful. How long had he been thinking about their encounter from the previous week, imagining it happening again? How many hours had he spent in his bunk with the memory of being buried inside of her driving him to the brink over and over? The thought of his iron-hard cock in hand, moaning her name into a hot, steamy morning shower shot a wave of pleasure to her core, and her hips gently bucked against his fingers. He smiled into her throat and unzipped her pants, sliding his fingers inside her underwear to stroke her embarrassingly wet folds before dipping two calloused fingers against her clit. She gasped and had to grip the counter in front of her, the contact igniting her nerve-endings with pleasure. </p><p> </p><p>“Fuck!” </p><p> </p><p>He circled her in various directions, as if tuning himself to her body’s various unique frequencies, until he managed to find a pattern that caused her to tremble. Damn him. He acted so much better than everyone else already. Of <em> course </em>he’d be frustratingly good in bed. </p><p> </p><p>He continued to stroke and rub, panting into her throat and snaking his free hand under her shirt to cup her breast. He squeezed, hard, and she whimpered quietly, body quivering as he brought her higher. All that was missing was him buried deep inside of her and the thought alone made her insides clench in want. </p><p> </p><p>“Fuck me,” she demanded quietly. </p><p> </p><p>“Not yet.”</p><p> </p><p>But before she could whine in protest, order him to take her against the desk, he bent his wrist and slid two thick fingers inside of her, hooking them until they found her sweet spot. Biting down on her throat, he began to thrust, hard and fast, his thumb refinding her clit in swift circles perfectly crafted for her demise. </p><p> </p><p>She came harder than she thought she could, his hands down her pants and up her shirt like a couple of teenagers, her knees buckling and vision white. He wedged her up against the counter so she wouldn’t fall and continued to relentlessly milk her body for every drop of pleasure he could confiscate from her, like some illegal paraphernalia on his security patrol. For a few blissful moments, she couldn’t focus on anything other than wave after wave of rapture until finally his fingers slowed and he withdrew his hand, bringing it to his mouth to greedily suck away every last drop of her. She imagined the things his mouth could do and whimpered. </p><p> </p><p>“Is there… is there somewhere we can continue?” he breathed, voice thick and raspy with desire as he reached down to cup himself through his pants. </p><p> </p><p>She gripped the counter, afraid to let go, but nodded towards one of the nearby exam rooms. </p><p> </p><p>He zipped her up and drew back, still stroking himself through his uniform. She slowly turned around and watched him watch her, imagining just how flushed she must look, her chest heaving and eyes heavy with desire. Her eyes shot down to the ridiculous bulge in his pants he was squeezing, probably in some desperate attempt at relief, and she didn’t feel nearly as bad. Taking pity on him, she stepped close and replaced his hand with her own, giving him a firm squeeze, before heading into the exam room. He stumbled in behind her and closed the door with a careless slam, already taking his cock out. </p><p> </p><p>“On the table, Kane,” she ordered, stripping her shirt over her head and tossing it to the side, followed by her boots and pants. </p><p> </p><p>He nodded and grunted, tugging his own shirt off. He pushed his pants and briefs down to his knees, thick erection bobbing heavily, shiny and wanting. Without hesitation, he sat on the table and laid back, watching eagerly as she removed her bra. He followed every movement of her breasts, eyes dark and hungry and admiring. It was the first time he had seen her fully naked, and she liked the feeling of power it gave her.</p><p> </p><p>She climbed on top of him and took him in hand, moaning softly at how hard and hot and alive he was like this. Leaning forward, she braced one hand against his chest and lowered herself onto him, sinking down until he fit perfectly inside her twitching, stretching walls. They both groaned, and she watched his eyes shut tightly and head fall back against the cold metal of the table, jaw tight with restraint. The idea that he was trying not to come inside of her made her chuckle. </p><p> </p><p>She fucked him. Hard, fast, wild. She rode him without restraint for what was barely sixty seconds until he choked her name, grabbed her hips with bruising fingertips, and came inside of her with a roar. And when he had finished, she kept riding him until the veins at his temple bulged from overstimulation, his face a deep red. She grabbed his wrist and used his fingers and cock to bring her to another shattering climax. </p><p> </p><p>There was never anything like this. Ever. The pure excitement and raw, wild fucking with no strings attaching her to anything other than this moment in time.</p><p> </p><p>She collapsed on top of him, cheek pressed against his sweaty chest, and listened as their raging heartbeats and breathing finally began to return to baseline. They remained joined together as the minutes ticked by, and at some point his arms engulfed her, holding her to him, which felt too good. A set of conveniently timed footsteps outside of the door sent them both scrambling off the table, searching for disregarded undergarments and crumpled clothes. He managed to dress first and opened the door a crack, sighing in obvious relief as one of his guardsmen scanned the area and left. Abby peered over his shoulder to watch as she awkwardly slid her boots back on.</p><p> </p><p>“Coast is clear,” he whispered, turning around to face her and giving her a slow smile. “That was…”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” she agreed, biting her lip and rebraiding her hair. </p><p> </p><p>“We should—”</p><p> </p><p>“Again soon.”</p><p><br/>“Yeah.” </p><p> </p><p>He reached for his jacket, hesitated, and bent down to kiss her. It wasn’t a particularly sentimental or romantic kiss, his tongue and teeth teasing her lips until they opened and he pulled her against him, but it did surprise her. She absently realized it was the first kiss they’d shared all evening, too busy being driven by their own pleasure to bother.</p><p> </p><p>He drew back and cleared his throat, sliding into his jacket. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m going to have to ask you to return to your quarters immediately or I’ll have no choice but to write you up for violating curfew.” </p><p> </p><p>From fucking to legal threats without batting an eye. What a bastard.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Nothing had changed.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not the only one violating the rules tonight, Kane. Go float yourself.” </p><p> </p><p>She shoved him out of her way and gathered up her things. He was unbelievable. In one last defiant act of the night just to spite him, she stopped by the bar and poured herself a drink, before finally heading to her quarters. </p><p> </p><p>Screw Marcus Kane. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Following a Council meeting, Doctor Griffin notices Kane's migraine is out of control and gives him a very special treatment for the pain.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A very happy birthday to my friend Sandy!! Enjoy this little bonus chapter. I wrote it with you in mind. 🤪</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There was a pain in his neck, and for once it wasn’t Abby Griffin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He spent the entire Council meeting grabbing the base of his skull, kneading fitfully while Thelonious droned on about some insignificant addendum that affected no one and certainly didn’t warrant a vote. He sighed and shifted his weight in his chair as the pain drifted up behind his eyes and hung there like a painful veil. The bright lights from the ceiling buzzed in his ear and made his stomach turn, vision blurring. God, he needed a drink or a painkiller strong enough to knock him out for the rest of the day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or a nice, long fuck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marcus glanced up and found Abby staring at him. He wasn’t met by either of her two defaults, the judgy upturned nose or the icy glare, but rather… worry? Concern? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now what had he done? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Making an irritated noise, he landed a fist to the table with more weight than intended, causing everyone to stop and stare, and suggested they wrap things up with a vote. After a bit of deliberation, the Chancellor agreed and, for the first time in months, Marcus found himself voting the same as Abby. The meeting concluded with a majority vote in their favor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jaha stood and dismissed the Council, murmured goodnight to Abby, and headed out of the room in a politically charged conversation alongside Councilor Thomas. Marcus rolled his aching neck and went to stand, quickly met by a hand to his arm. He looked up to find Abby there, leaning against the table next to him, arms crossed, expression probing. Honestly, she’d never shown this much concern over him in their life. What had gotten into her? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why do you keep doing that? Does it hurt?” she asked, gesturing to his hand as the last of the Council members cleared out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be dumb, Marcus.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I’ve got a headache. It’s nothing, I’m fine.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She picked up her pen light and flicked it on near his face. He hissed and grabbed her wrist, jerking it away, nearly vomiting from the pain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s what I thought. You have a migraine, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I--no! Maybe. I don’t know.” He released her wrist and pinched the bridge of his nose, squinting in discomfort. His entire face was beginning to hurt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When did it start?” she asked, flicking off her light and pocketing it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This morning. I woke up with it and it’s just gotten progressively worse,” he explained, sighing. “It’ll fade.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does it seem to stem from here?” She reached around and pinched the base of his skull, causing him to cry out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Abby!” he gasped, jerking back and staring up at her in horror. She was lucky he didn’t instinctively send his fist to her face!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes at him. What the hell happened to bedside manner?!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are experiencing mild myofascial dystonia.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stared up at her blankly, shrugging. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Extreme muscle tension, Marcus. Your trigger points are inflamed, compressing the nerves, probably due to stress and poor posture.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sat up straight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not stressed!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She crossed her arms and raised a brow at him, daring him to challenge her more, no doubt so she could inflict more pain on him. She was sick!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay. So can you give me a painkiller?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to try some myofascial release first.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wordlessly rounded his chair and came up behind him, giving each of his shoulders a very calculated squeeze that nearly sent him flying out of his seat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ffffffu… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Abby</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” he shouted, gripping the edge of the table with white knuckles and grit teeth. “What the hell?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just try to relax into it. Breathe through the pain.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She kept a firm hold of his shoulders, thumbs kneading back and forth. His eyes closed tightly and he focused on his breathing, just like she told him. He wasn’t very fond of listening to her, but he knew that despite their differences, Abby was a competent physician. She probably knew what she was talking about. Unless her plan really was to murder him, which was a possibility.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt the muscles throughout his shoulders and lower neck begin to twitch and grimaced. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why is that happening?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Exhaustion. Your muscles are beginning to release. Be quiet.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grumbled and sighed, falling silent. He felt her let go of his shoulders and work her way up his neck and had to admit, somewhere behind this excruciating toture from her disturbingly strong fingers, it felt good. He struggled to remember if he had ever had someone do this for him, and the idea that she might be first threatened to compromise him with sentiment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you feel that?” she murmured, hands working a little more gently now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Feel what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your tension subsiding.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grunted noncommittally, completely aware of the way his pain was slowly being replaced by a warm, tingly feeling of euphoria but unwilling to give her the satisfaction of total agreement. Besides, the headache wasn’t entirely gone. It q</span>
</p><p>
  <span>wasn't like she was some miracle worker. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wordlessly and without warning, Abby slid her hands into his hair and began to knead his scalp. A nondescript babble fell from his mouth as he felt his headache melt away. Perhaps this woman was a miracle worker after all, damn her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She chuckled somewhere above him, wherever she was. He was floating anywhere between his chair and the ceiling, drifting pleasantly outside of his body. He batted halfheartedly at her and grumbled, which just made her chuckle again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure if he fell asleep or if time stopped altogether, but her whisper, hot against his ear, made him jump and return to reality, tethered back to his seat in the Council room as her hands rested atop his shoulders. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Feeling better?” she breathed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He blinked a few times and looked up at her, his head falling back against her stomach.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Thanks…"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He imagined how dopey his smile must look, plastered to his face like an idiot. He didn’t care. He hadn’t felt this relieved ever in his life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good.” She bit her lip and glanced down at him, letting his head stay against her torso. “You know, there’s one other thing that helps with headaches. An age-old cure.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” he asked, sighing happily and letting his eyes fall closed again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. An orgasm,” she whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes flew open. If he wasn’t alert before, he was alert now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gave his shoulders a final squeeze and released him, stepping back. He heard her move to the door, lock it, and return to his side, watched her wet her lips. The rational thinking part of him knew that he should protest, insist they find somewhere more private for whatever she had in mind, but just days before he’d had a hand down her pants in Medical, and always a man of equity, he realized turnabout was fairplay and she was well within her rights to exact revenge.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ball entirely in her court, he watched as she spun his chair to the side and lowered herself to her knees next to the table, fingers finding his fly and unzipping him. His heart began to race. He couldn't deny the fact that he'd fantasized about this precise scenario a time or two. It wasn't his fault the Council room was often where Abby was her most fired up, or that she looked damn good when she was fired up, or that her being fired up meant she would angrily slap her palms against the table and lean forward so her breasts hung invitingly in her low-cut shirt. Surely everyone else saw it too!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is… is this a part of your official treatment, Doctor?” he rasped, watching her hungrily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smirked and drew his cock out from his pants, giving him a couple of strokes to encourage his arousal. He hardened some, eyes fluttering. They flew open when he was greeted by her lips against his head, pressing a kiss there before her hot tongue followed his pulsing vein from base to tip. She was going to kill him, and part of him wondered if that wasn't her plan all along.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as her lips wrapped around his head and gave a firm, languid suck, causing his hips to buck. He snaked an encouraging hand in her hair, tempted to force her head down further, to engulf him until he met the back of her throat, but decided to let her have control. He pushed some of her hair out of her face so he could get a better view, then slid his fingers against her scalp, kneading. She made eye contact with him and began to envelop him with her pursed, rosy lips, brown eyes full of desire and maybe a little pride as he turned rock hard in her mouth, pulsing with blood flow and pleasure. But he didn’t care. His cock now buried deep, she could be as proud as she wanted. She could ask for his resignation and he’d beg her to take it. The control this woman had over his body was astounding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Groaning, his head fell back as he enjoyed the sensation of being surrounded by her hot, warm mouth. She was good at this. It occurred to him that taking care of her people was what she had always excelled at, and that was true all the way down to where her tongue, teeth, and lips were thoroughly looking after him, bringing him higher by the second. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He opened his eyes and watched, caressing her scalp as she bobbed her head up and down, her skilful mouth sucking firmly enough to make him dizzy with pleasure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God… Abby…” he panted, lost in how fucking good this was. "Not too fast," he warned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiled around him, understanding, and slowed down, focusing on teasing him inch by inch as she explored him with her mouth. This wasn't like their last time in Medical, where she'd rode him mercilessly on the exam table, stealing his orgasm like a succubus with all the greed she could muster. This was caring and thoughtful, her taking away his pain in a way only a caregiver could. Or perhaps a lover. A tightness arose momentarily in his chest, and he floated that thought out amongst drifting space debris. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gripped his thighs and slowly took him as deep as he imagined she could, his head nudging the back of her throat until she gagged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Fuck!" he shouted, hips bucking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She withdrew him and laughed, then did it again, causing every last one of his distracting thoughts to dissipate. The only thing that mattered was Abby Griffin, right here, right now, gagging on his cock like she enjoyed it. It was intoxicating.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minutes ticked by as she experimented with how far she could take him, each time a little deeper, and each time threatening to make him explode in the back of her throat. He was trembling now, shaking with pleasure and exertion, and she seemed to sense his struggle and repositioned herself, fucking him with her mouth, hand stroking his base in perfect unison with her lips. God, she was incredible.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grabbed her hair roughly now, pulling, grunted her name, and barely recognizing his own voice. His body began to sing, humming as he hit the point of no return. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes!" he gasped, hips involuntarily rocking up into her mouth. She was undoing every bit of his restraint, and he relished it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She suddenly made eye contact, her sultry, rosy lips wrapped firmly around his cock as she sucked and stroked, but her pretty brown eyes were his undoing. He pulled roughly at her hair and forced her head down, shouting out as his hips bucked into her mouth and he came and came and came, her lips sucking every last drop of him away. He panted, head fallen back and eyes pressed tightly shut in pure, agonizing bliss, pleasure rocketing through every last bit of his body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gently sucked him dry before urging him out of her mouth and tucking him back into his pants. He glanced down at her in his haze. Her cheeks were flushed, her lashes heavy and lips swollen, with a shiny drop of come on her chin that made his cock twitch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he breathed, body still singing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Feeling better?" she asked, voice hoarse. He absently wondered if he had done that to her poor throat, but something told him she didn't mind one bit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Headache's gone." He smiled up at her, foggy and euphoric, which met him with a smile of her own as she stood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bold from lack of blood to his brain, he leaned up and cupped her cheek, stroking tiny circles with his thumb and sighing happily as she leaned into his touch. She bent down and kissed him, full and languid. He could taste himself in her mouth, bitter, salty, warm still. She came to rest in his lap and his arms naturally engulfed her, holding her to him as they took their time in a kiss that made his chest tighten again. Maybe she felt it too, felt the danger, because she drew back and slid off his lap, straightening.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I have to get back to work."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You don't need anything?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her head and bit her lip, expression almost shy now. He watched her and considered wiping her chin for her, but something about her walking through the station with remnants of his cock down her throat gave him a secret thrill. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Swing by Medical if the headache comes back."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"For a painkiller or another blowjob?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She snorted and swatted him in the arm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grinned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She headed for the door, and he couldn't take his eyes off of her sweet, shapely ass, cock twitching inside of his pants. How was he ever gonna sit through a Council meeting again without getting a hard-on? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sighing, he stood and realized it wasn't even her mouth that he missed the most, but the feel of her in his arms and her weight in his lap. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>During a charged argument, Abby insults Kane in front of their colleagues, and he threatens to punish her. She makes sure he stays true to his word.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've never written anything like this before, and am very eager to hear how I did. Please let me know what you think of this chapter! And as always, thanks for reading. Your support of this fic has blown me away! Thank you, thank you, thank you.</p>
<p>Dedicated to Britt and Amber. Happy belated birthday, girls!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It started with one remark.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They'd been arguing</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <em>
    <span>loudly</span>
  </em>
  <span>—</span>
  <span>on GoSci. In her defense he was being an ass, but in his defense she </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> insulted his masculinity in front of everyone by implying he was inflating his ego to make up for size in other areas (which she knew very intimately wasn’t true). Thelonious had been forced to intervene, stepping between them and snapping into the role of mediator like they were a couple of fighting children. But there was nothing adolescent about the way she could visibly see Kane’s pants tighten during the argument. Sex with Marcus hadn't changed anything between them professionally, but the way they </span>
  <em>
    <span>dealt </span>
  </em>
  <span>with their professional frustrations was evolving to an entirely new level. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chests heaving and faces flushed, her own body on fire with arousal and spite and hunger and indignation and so many conflicting emotions at war with each other, Kane had stepped around Thelonious and brushed by her, whispering one simple remark in her ear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll punish you later."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His words hung in the air, heavy like humidity she'd only ever felt on Farm station, charged with moisture and life. It sent electricity to her center, pumping desire through her veins like nothing ever had before.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Punishment.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everything inside of her had wanted to pursue him, push every single one of his buttons until he was living up to his threat. But she waited, and waiting was not something she had a talent for. Abby had always rushed head first into situations, confident and bold and ready to fight, but she had a job to finish, so she rolled up her sleeves and got to work, driven by what the evening might hold. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At 1700 sharp, she found herself making her way to his quarters. Her heart sank when he wasn't there, but without hesitation, she searched for him at his office and found him slumped over his desk, tapping away at his datapad, ever the workaholic. The one thing they had in common.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She closed the door behind her, locking it, and he looked up, eyes narrowing on her with a scowl burdened by their earlier fight. He returned his attention back to his work.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" he asked sharply as he tapped his screen, but the annoyance in his voice only made her more aroused.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm ready."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" he asked again, nose wrinkling in confusion. He looked up at her once more, irritated.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I-I want you to punish me," she explained, voice wavering some. She took a step towards his desk and gripped the chair in front of her, unabashedly starved for his punishment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes widened for only a second as he processed her words, whatever disgust souring him from their earlier argument slowly merging into something much more animalistic and primal, as if she had awakened a beast inside of him. A beast she very much wanted to be ravaged by tonight. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're late," he said, glancing down at his watch. "The work day ended seven minutes ago."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I went to your quarters first." She bit her lip, heart hammering in her chest. "I… I'm sorry."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Never, not once, had she apologized to this man. He knew it too, judging by the way he broke character ever so slightly as a quiet gasp tumbled from his lips. He recovered briefly, clenching his jaw and raising a brow at her, scrutinizing her with disapproval and disdain, like she was a criminal on trial. It made her so wet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're sorry? Apologies won't make up for what you've done."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He shut off his data pad and clicked his tongue as he no doubt debated what to do to her. The possibilities made her stomach swoop, and she stood there. watching, waiting, heart beating faster and faster with anticipation. Finally, he crooked a finger at her, and the gesture alone made her center ache with desire.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Come here." His voice was gruff and low. Any Ark criminal would be cowering.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stood, agonizingly slow, and slid out of his jacket, placing it neatly over the back of his chair. She came to stand in front of him, swallowing hard and watching as he reached down to unhook the shock baton from his belt. Her eyes widened. Surely he wasn't going to shock her! Although something about the idea sent a thrill to her core that startled even her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Marcus?" she asked quietly, staring up at him with a combination of fear and uncertainty. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Your safe word is fire, do you understand?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Fire. It was fitting, considering it was the one thing all people raised on The Ark were taught to fear. Fire, the ever-looming threat that could suck the oxygen out of a room and instantaneously claim the lives of anyone in its stead. He was her fire, dangerous but beautiful, igniting her body into flames. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded nervously, watching him flick a button on his baton that she'd never noticed before.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This is the training setting. Have you ever felt it?" he asked, voice commanding but gentle all at once. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Give me your hand."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She slowly turned her palm up towards him and steadied herself as he brought the baton to her hand, activating it. She jumped some, but not from pain. The baton buzzed almost pleasantly, startling her, and she instantly wondered how many of the Guard had used these devices for recreational purposes. She wrapped her hand around it and it tickled her skin, sending vibrations through her entire body as he increased the frequency. Confident it wasn't going to hurt her, she released it and gave him a nod.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He returned to his seat, gesturing to her pants. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Take those off."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She obeyed, squirming out of the garments and laying them on his desk, nostrils flaring as the scent of her own arousal wafted around them. She hated to admit how much this turned her on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He patted his lap. "Bend over."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her face grew hot and red as she approached him and bent over his lap in compliance, ass exposed to him. This was utterly humiliating, and yet she couldn’t wait for more. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He brought his hand to her ass and gave a firm squeeze before drawing back and smacking it with the shock baton. She jumped and yelped. It hurt, but not too much, and the low frequency sent vibrations straight to her clit. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Again," he breathed, striking her another time. It stung her skin pleasantly, and she gripped his desk, breath coming faster, the pain blurring with arousal. "Again," he repeated, followed by another strike of the baton. She counted ten strikes total, each one making her more and more wet for his punishment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He caressed her skin and she imagined how pink it must be from the lashes. Quivering, she closed her eyes and awaited his next instruction. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"On your feet," he commanded, voice thick and heavy with desire. She obeyed, straightening and taking a step back to give him room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She could see him now, how aroused he was, straining against the black fabric of his pants, clearly enjoying this game just as much as she was. She watched as he stood and unbuckled himself, but instead of taking out his cock like she thought he would, he slid the belt from its loops and tightened the worn leather in his hands. The belt creaked, and he leveled her with a predatory gaze.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Stay," he instructed, moving over to a nearby wall and hooking the belt around a pipe. He secured it, pulled it taut, and tested its hold, then motioned for her. "Come here."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She quickly joined him, legs wobbling as desire coursed through her and sang in her ears.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Undress for me. Slowly," he instructed, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms, watching her, gaze dark and hungry.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She slowly pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it aside, followed by her bra and panties. Standing in front of him in the cold of his stark office, she had never felt so exposed. It excited every inch of her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He took a step closer and studied her body, eyes penetrating her like she was prey to be devoured. Finally, he grabbed her arm and brought her to the belt, lifting up her arms above her head and tying a skillful restraint around her wrists. He tightened the belt firmly, but not enough to break the skin. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>at this. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Your insubordination has reached unacceptable levels," he told her, lowering his arms and taking a step back to admire his handiwork. "You've left me no other choice."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She shuddered, straining against the belt a bit. It made her skin sting pleasantly, a wave of desire pooling between her legs in wet heat. But something came over her. She’d been playing submissive up until this point, but even tied up naked in his office, she had to test the waters a bit. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You started it,” she whispered, watching him with a small smirk. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His jaw clenched and he growled, stepping into her space and wrapping his hand around her throat, resting it there firmly, but not enough to constrict her airway. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What did you say?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I said… you started it.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She gave him a challenging look, wetting her lips and studying his face eagerly. What would he do to her? The thrill of it excited her. She wanted him to punish her, fuck her, use her. Squirming, she pressed her legs together, her ache nearly unbearable. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He reached for his baton and turned up the frequency, bringing it to one of her pert nipples. She gasped, entire body jerking from the sensation. It was a line between pain and pleasure, uniquely charged with electricity and power. She absolutely wanted more. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me why you’re being punished,” he breathed, glaring and tightening his hand on her throat ever so slightly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“B-because,” she rasped, eyes fluttering shut. “Because I misbehaved.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I was insubordinate.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yes.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pressed his erection against her side, panting. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I deserve it,” she whimpered, straining against the belt. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to torment you now,” he whispered, and she moaned and nodded breathlessly, squirming. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just as she thought he’d strike her or fuck her into submission, he dropped to his knees and lifted one of her legs over his shoulder. She gasped in surprise.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to make you come, Abby, as many times as your body can take. You deserve to be tortured.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He started lapping at her slick folds, sucking and biting, tongue and teeth anything but gentle. She let out a loud whimper, head falling back with ecstasy as he coaxed her higher, greedily trying to rob her of every orgasm he could muster.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His lips wrapped around her clit and he sucked hard, sliding two, then three large fingers inside of her and pumping them in and out until she was clenching him as her first orgasm roared through her, violent and intense. He didn’t give her a moment to recover and continued to suck at her pulsing clit until she was a whimpering mess and his face was soaked with her pleasure. Unrelenting, he coaxed her to another intense climax, her entire body trembling. The pain began to mix with pleasure, and the word he’d used earlier, </span>
  <em>
    <span>torment,</span>
  </em>
  <span> began to make sense.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Marcus!” she sobbed, suspended between her second orgasm and her next, body humming and so alive. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He drew back and reached for the shock baton, turning it on a medium-low setting before bringing it to her folds. She gasped, jumping, hips bucking as electricity tickled her center in a sensation she’d never experienced before. He slowly increased the vibrations and positioned the tip of the baton directly against her clit. She cried out and came again, vision blurring. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ruthlessly, he brought her to a fourth and then fifth orgasm, devout in his mission to envoke proper punishment. It was finally too much, and she found herself unable to support her own weight, wrists straining against the leather of his belt, bruising.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fire,” she croaked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He instantly backed off, lowering the baton as his touches became mere caresses. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” he asked, smiling sympathetically.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She stared down at him with blurry eyes, dizzy and disoriented. She tried to respond coherently but barely managed a babble. He stood, fingers sliding up her sides and settling on her breasts. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you stand for a bit longer?” he asked, lips trailing kisses along her cheek. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded and felt him turn her body so she was facing the wall, listened as he unzipped his pants and gently parted her legs. With a grunt, he entered her from behind and pressed his face into her throat, fucking her with a series of groans. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re so wet,” he rasped against her neck, grabbing her hips and rocking up into her heat. “Abby…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her name tumbled from his lips like a prayer, and he pounded into for a blissful eternity before stilling, emptying into her with a garbled cry buried in her throat. They stayed like that for several more moments, his arms supporting her weight so her wrists wouldn’t bruise anymore than they already had, until he finally reached up to unfasten her restraints. She let out a relieved whimper as her hands were freed. To her surprise, he gathered her into her arms and carried her over to the small cot in the corner of the room where she’d found him sleeping between shifts, laying her down gently and covering her with a blanket. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be right back,” he murmured, voice soothing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She heard him dress, leave, and return to her side a few minutes later. He had warm compresses that he tenderly wrapped around her wrists, and a wet cloth he used to clean between her legs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” she whispered, staring hazily up at him in surprise, stomach fluttering for some reason. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He leaned down and kissed her temple, fingertips dancing along her spine, causing her to shiver. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just rest.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded and closed her eyes, listening as he cleaned up the office then settled down at his desk to finish his work. What could have been minutes or hours later, she felt the cot dip as he crawled in behind her and fell asleep with his face in her hair. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Peace.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kane and Abby share their evening meal together, and he realizes how difficult it's becoming to ignore his feelings.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Maybe I have a secret soft spot for pining and angst, but this might be my favorite chapter so far. Thanks again for all your support. Going to work on responding to comments tonight. It means the world to me! Thank you!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If he happened to know the approximate time she’d be heading into the mess hall to eat her dinner, that was merely because he was good at his job. He wasn’t tracking her or anything, at least not her specifically. It was his responsibility to know where everyone was on this station, what they were up to, whether or not it was legitimate, including Doctor Abigail Griffin. </p><p> </p><p><em> Especially </em>her. </p><p> </p><p>She had a habit of getting herself into trouble. </p><p> </p><p>He hovered in a dark corner just outside of the mess hall, observing as people picked up their meal tray and sat down at tables, the room full of chatter and clinking silverware. He inhaled, and the soapy must of the dish room mixing with tonight’s meal was anything but appetizing. </p><p> </p><p>She was late. </p><p> </p><p>He absently wondered if her afternoon surgery ran over or if she had decided to skip dinner and head to her quarters for the night. The thing about Abby Griffin was she didn’t strictly adhere to any one schedule. She liked to live her life moment by moment, which probably wasn’t the worst thing in her field with so many medical emergencies arising, but it made his teeth itch. A creature of habit, he didn’t like being unable to effectively track someone.</p><p> </p><p><em> Not </em> that he was tracking her. </p><p> </p><p>“Kane?” </p><p> </p><p>He jumped and spun around, staring at her in surprise. </p><p> </p><p>“Abby!” </p><p> </p><p>He felt his cheeks warm, feeling as if he was a little boy caught doing something naughty. Which he absolutely was not!</p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing?” she asked, brows knit and eyes giving him a once over. “It’s kinda creepy.” </p><p> </p><p>His blush deepened and he stood up straight, defensively angling his chin and pursing his lips. “I was patrolling. There’s nothing creepy about it.” </p><p> </p><p>She smirked and moved to brush past him, their chests briefly touching. He watched her pause and bite her glossy lip, glancing up at him with big, beautiful, brown eyes, veiled heavily under thick lashes. It reminded him of that afternoon in the Council room, with his cock in her mouth and her rebellious gaze meeting his as she’d stolen every last drop of his climax in the name of curing his migraine. She was spectacular. </p><p>He felt his pants tighten and quickly took a step back, gesturing for her to go first. She continued on, heading into the mess hall and towards the tray line. He could have sworn she glanced back at him to make sure he was following her. Did she want him to follow her? The idea made his heart jump. </p><p> </p><p>“Mind if I join you?” he blurted out, darting after her. </p><p> </p><p>“Thought you were patrolling.” </p><p> </p><p>Damn her. </p><p> </p><p>“I can patrol… from in here.” </p><p> </p><p>“Uh huh.”</p><p> </p><p>Amused, she collected her meal tray and surprised him by taking a seat at an empty table in the far back of the room where there was far less commotion. And far fewer prying eyes. Was she embarrassed to be seen with him? </p><p> </p><p>It stung and he wasn’t even sure why.</p><p> </p><p>He followed after her with his own tray, painfully aware that she hadn’t yet given him permission to join her, and watched her stab at her protein and shove a forkful in her mouth, awkwardly hovering. </p><p> </p><p>She looked up at him as she chewed. “You’re being weird again, Marcus. Just sit.”</p><p> </p><p>She glanced around them with shades of unease that made his stomach turn. It was becoming clear to him she wanted <em> no one </em> to know about what they got up to at night, and that increasingly familiar sting settled somewhere nondescript between his chest and the pit of his stomach. </p><p> </p><p>Pushing it aside, he took a seat across from her, trying not to make a spectacle of himself. He moved his vegetables around on his plate, contemplating. It had been several days since he’d punished her in his office. Several days since he’d awoken to an empty cot and felt a longing—the sting—in his chest that scared the shit out of him. Work had been busy, with two of his Guardsmen falling sick, and he’d tried to distract himself by patrolling doubles, but on a space station with a limited population and only so many common areas, she was <em> everywhere. </em>She was in morning Council meetings opposing his every move and in Medical treating his men that he went to check on. She was in the hallway on her way to GoSci or sneaking onto a quiet observation deck she didn’t know he frequented to see the Prison Station from the closest view she had, silently watching over her daughter. </p><p> </p><p>As he sat with her now, his thoughts canceling out the noise of the commotion around them, he wondered if he’d even been trying to avoid her at all.</p><p> </p><p>The sting grew to an ache. </p><p> </p><p>He watched her bring a glass to her lips. A drop of water fled from her mouth down her chin and disappeared in the tantalizing v-neck of her shirt, landing somewhere between her creamy breasts. His ache was abruptly replaced by the urge to pick her up and carry her back to his quarters and keep her there for an entire week as they fucked in every position imaginable, hearing her cry out his name in the throes of pleasure as he pushed her body to new heights. Feel her warm, dewy skin cooling under his as they lay in the aftermath of what they’d done, as she curled into him and let out a contented sighs and whispered his name.</p><p> </p><p>“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to play with your food?” She snorted and gestured down to where his fork had turned his vegetables to mush. </p><p> </p><p>He shot her a glare and started eating even though he wasn’t very hungry. Not for peas and carrots, anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Their knees knocked together as they ate in silence, causing his face to warm and his eyes to dart towards her. She caught him looking several times, held his gaze once or twice in what was probably a silent challenge <em> (Say what’s on your mind, Marcus), </em> before wordlessly returning her attention back to her food. </p><p> </p><p>“So…” she said, finally breaking the silence. “Are you gonna tell me why you’re stalking me?”</p><p> </p><p>“I-I’m <em> not </em> stalking you!” he sputtered. </p><p> </p><p>“Marcus, you’ve been hovering. For days now. What the hell is going on with you?” She lowered her voice and glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “If you wanna have sex, just say so.”</p><p> </p><p>He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, tearing at his bread, seconds ticking by. </p><p> </p><p>“Okay. I want to have sex.” </p><p> </p><p>“Okay.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” </p><p> </p><p>He shoved his bread in his mouth, unable to meet her eye. </p><p> </p><p>“Did you… now?” she asked, pushing her tray away from her.</p><p> </p><p>He smiled faintly. Maybe she was just as desperate as he was. He was thankful she wasn’t going to make him beg, because he wasn’t sure he was above that anymore, not when it came to her and the invitation to her bed. </p><p> </p><p>Wordlessly, he stood and collected both of their meal trays, disposing of them and waiting for her by the exit. She followed him out of the mess hall, glancing around like a teenager sneaking off to do something illegal. He wondered if it gave her even half the thrill it gave him, his stomach swooping with excitement. </p><p> </p><p>He headed for his quarters, taking the fastest route he knew. They entered an elevator and, once the doors slid shut and he was certain there were no prying eyes that she was so concerned over, his hand came to rest against the small of his back, hungry to feel the addictive curves of her body. He watched her tongue dart out to wet her lips and felt her press into his palm. Calculating they had about thirty seconds of privacy, he turned towards her and bent to find her lips. She met him halfway, ready, and pressed her hands against his chest, returning the kiss with a quiet moan. The noise shot a wave of arousal straight to his cock, and he felt it harden against his pants, nudging her stomach. With a groan, he slid his hands down and cupped her ass, giving a firm squeeze and tugging her flush to him. </p><p> </p><p>"Marcus," she breathed, deepening the kiss, their tongues finding each other in a desperate flurry. And just before the doors slid open and he drew back, he wondered when she started using his first name and why he liked it so much. </p><p> </p><p>He hurried them to his quarters, thankful for a mostly empty corridor so his straining erection wouldn't be on show for everyone, and fumbled with the code to his door, an error sound beeping at his failed attempts. She buried a chuckle in his shoulder and he shushed her, finally getting the combination right. The door slid open and he drew her inside, starting to undress her before the door had fully shut. He let out a low, throaty chuckle. They were like a couple of horny teenagers.</p><p> </p><p>He kissed and sucked her throat, trying to mark her, wanting her throat bruised and on display at tomorrow’s meeting. He urged her bra off, drawing back long enough to let her yank his own shirt over his head. He found her throat again, and to his delight, he discovered a sensitive spot there that made her shudder and tested it with a puff of warm air, listening to her gasp and tremble and her breathing begin to labor. </p><p> </p><p>He left a hot, purple mark there, a semi-permanent tattoo. </p><p> </p><p>Most-certainly unaware of what he had done, she gave him a playful shove towards his bed and he fell backwards with a laugh, landing on his back atop the covers, imagining how big and dorky his smile was. He didn’t care. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey! My boots are still on.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah?” </p><p> </p><p>She chuckled and rolled her eyes, pausing to help him with them, then pushed her pants and underwear down and he did the same, kicking them off with a wild disregard he usually didn’t allow himself. But Abby Griffin was naked and ready to fuck him, and a messy floor was the last thing on his mind right now. </p><p> </p><p>He grabbed her by the hips and tugged her astride his lap, moaning when her heat came in contact with his arousal, thick head weeping and ready for her, eagerly prodding. He watched appreciatively as she positioned herself above him, her hand reaching down and fingers wrapping around his cock as she brought him to his entrance. She was perfect, exquisite, irresistible like this, her nipples hardened and rosy and a flush waxing her olive skin. She sank onto him with a cry, and he groaned, low and deep, his head falling back against the pillows and teeth worrying his lip. </p><p> </p><p>Fuck, that was good. </p><p> </p><p>“Abby,” he breathed, hands gripping her hips. Being inside of her was unbelievable. Never in his life had he considered the possibility of sharing this with her, but here they were, his cock buried deep inside of her as she panted his name, just like he had imagined. </p><p> </p><p>She began to move atop him, her hands coming to rest against his chest as she found an angle that made her gasp. Her noises spurred him on, cock hardening further inside of her, and he enjoyed every magnificent thrust of her hips against his. </p><p> </p><p>He had to smile. She was in her element like this, breasts bouncing and braid swaying as she brought them both higher. He licked his fingers and reached down, stroking her clit, admiring her enticing body as she rode him. She gasped at his touch, her hips bucking slightly, and he sat up halfway, unable to resist drawing one of her breasts into his mouth. He sucked and groaned, fingers moving faster against her arousal. </p><p> </p><p>He felt her muscles flutter and clench around him, felt her grow hotter and wetter and her movements more frantic. Growling, he leaned up, trading breast for mouth, and kissed her fervently, fingers roughly circling her clit as he tried to steal her orgasm from her like it was the only mission he knew. </p><p> </p><p>She cried out against his lips and he moaned, satisfied with himself as she spasmed around him, her climax claiming her with enough force for him to enjoy, too. He grunted and drew back to watch her face, rocking up into her clenching depths until it was too much for him to handle. He grabbed her hips and came deep inside of her with a shout. </p><p> </p><p>She collapsed on top of him, panting quietly as they both came down from their high. He let out a relieved laugh and wrapped his arms around her, eyes fluttering shut.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” she asked. He felt her smile into his chest.</p><p> </p><p>“That was amazing,” he whispered, kissing her hair. </p><p> </p><p>She turned her head up towards him, followed moments later by the feel of her lips against his jaw. He smiled and tilted his chin down, meeting her in a lazy, languid kiss, reaching up to move a few strands of hair away from her sweaty temple, savoring this. </p><p> </p><p>The kiss subsided, and he saw her eyes dart towards the door. His smile faded. </p><p> </p><p>“Stay,” he blurted out. </p><p> </p><p>She looked up at him in what seemed like surprise, and his stomach sank, panic spreading through his limbs. </p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure?” she whispered, chewing on her lip. </p><p> </p><p>He nodded and stroked her hair, swallowing thickly, relief reluctantly returning to his body. She hadn’t completely denied his request. Not yet, anyway, and he stared at her hopefully, waiting. She relented, lowered her head to his chest and closed her eyes, perhaps no longer burdened by the need to flee, perhaps feeling even a fraction of the way he felt. Letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, he pressed his face into her hair. He slept, drifting and dreaming, lulled by a sense of peace he’d never experienced before in his life. But when morning came and he opened his eyes, he found himself alone once again, peace replaced by longing and left with only a couple strands of long, brown hair on his pillow, the bed beside him still-warm in the morning darkness of his quarters. </p><p> </p><p>The sting returned.</p><p> </p><p>“Just sex,” he reminded himself bitterly. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sex with Marcus was never supposed to be this complicated. Abby begins to feel herself losing control.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Feels and angst incoming! This chapter isn't as steamy as some, but I promise we're not done with that journey yet. Just had to take some time to explore Abby's headspace a little so hopefully we can all understand her more. Enjoy!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>0457</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She woke up with a hunger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her dreams had been downright filthy, involving one Marcus Kane and his glorious cock. In a display of shameless exhibitionism, she had dropped to her knees and taken him into her mouth on one of the observation decks, with him up against the window and the stars their voyeurs. To her disappointment, she woke up in a cold sweat, aching between her legs in a way that her own fingers could no longer satisfy. So she’d dressed and headed to his quarters, careless about what time it was and driven only by her own desire.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It didn’t matter that it had been almost an entire week since they’d last spoken outside of awkwardly abrupt professional exchanges. She hated to admit that she was scared of something, especially when that something involved Marcus Kane, but the way he’d asked her to spend the night, and the way it felt too good in his arms, and the way she’d crept out before his alarm went off because she didn’t have room in her life for anything other than mindless sex… it all left her in a panic. So she’d fled, back to the safety of her own quarters. Part of her had felt guilty, the way he wore a peaceful smile in his sleep that she’d never witnessed on him before, but it was pertinent for her to put a stop to whatever the hell this was before it got out of control.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before she lost control.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And she was rapidly losing control.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was some shuffling following her knock, and his door slid open. She was greeted with a wild array of unkempt hair, shadowy stubble, and a shirtless man, mussed from sleep and looking more confused than usual.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Abby?” he asked, rubbing his face and squinting at her. “Is everything alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She closed the door and dropped to her knees, shooting him a sensual smile, fingers prying open his underwear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <span>hey…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning,” she drawled, her voice low and husky as she drew out his length. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He jumped and pushed her hands away, and she frowned up at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t just… Abby, what time is it?” he asked, stumbling backwards and shuffling around to find his datapad.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She slowly rose to her feet, the layer of arousal that clouded her judgement rapidly falling away, leaving her humiliated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“About 0500. I just thought</span>
  <span>—</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, you thought wrong,” he snapped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His morning alarm suddenly blared, and she stood there awkwardly, wrapping her arms around herself and watching as he fumbled to turn it off, his painfully flaccid cock still hanging from his underpants.  </span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to get ready.” He sounded irritated as hell. She wasn’t sure why it stung. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t even have time for a morning quickie?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stalked over to his head and turned on the water, letting it warm underneath his fingertips, back to her. “I haven’t heard from you in </span>
  <em>
    <span>days.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Since when is this about talking?” she scoffed, watching him slide off his briefs and drop them in his dirty laundry bin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grumbled in obvious frustration and whipped around, staring at her with a wildness and anger in his eyes that seemed to be masking something else she was terrified of labeling. She took a cautious step back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You just waltz in here and expect me to rise to the occasion after ignoring me for a week? You’re a little too used to getting what you want, Abby.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She frowned in confusion, growing increasingly angry at his attitude. “Isn’t that what this is? Getting what we both want?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t know what this is!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His words resounded, loud and bold, ringing in her ears, his eyes wild and sharp and pleading as he stared at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She softened. The sting became an ache inside of her chest, fear replaced by a longing for something she knew she couldn’t have. For something she knew she shouldn’t want. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Marcus, I…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her heart raced as he rapidly closed the distance between them, grabbing her face and kissing her fiercely. She whimpered against his mouth, and he shoved her pants down, quickly tearing off the rest of her clothes before picking her up and marching her into the shower with him, his hands trembling from what she decided must be desperation only because she felt it too. She clung to him, nails digging into his back, and it only took a few strokes of his cock before he was hard enough to enter her in a swift motion that made her dizzy with pleasure. He fucked her, hard, against the wall of the shower until the water turned cold and he came inside of her with a shout. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She left his quarters with wet hair and smelling of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her mind wandered during the Council meeting, plagued by his earlier display of anger. Never had she expected sex with Marcus Kane to be this complicated, yet here they were, with so much unspoken bubbling up under the surface like the hot oil that kept the Ark systems churning. She didn’t need complicated right now, but the ache she’d felt deep inside of her chest, the longing and desperation earlier that morning was anything but simple. As she watched him from across the table, she considered the possibility of putting a stop to all of this, telling him it was over, but the idea of this arrangement coming to an end scared the hell out of her, although she refused to think about why.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Between the grief of losing Jake and most of her days spent worrying over Clarke, on top of her duties as both a Council member and Head of Medical, there wasn’t room in her heart for another. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So where did that leave Marcus?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She glanced over at him and found his eyes boring into her, deep brown with flecks of hazel, always so introspective and carrying the weight of the world in two small orbs. Today he looked plagued by something beyond Council matters, and once their eyes met, he immediately looked down in defeat. Her throat constricted, tightening with misery as it occurred to her all at once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was hurting him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* * * *</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her day dragged on. She found herself more distracted than usual, already conflicted thoughts weighed down by Clarke. It had been months since she’d seen her. Abby took her meal tray and headed for the closed observation deck on Mecca she’d been favoring lately, because it granted her a distant view of Prison Station. Anything to feel closer to her daughter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded to the Guard that patrolled this area, their arrangement still standing, and glanced around the sector cautiously before heading inside. It was small and dark, save for a few dull emergency lights that faintly illuminated the entryway, and she could smell the distant heat from the engines below her feet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She settled down in the window, leaning against it, the glass icy on her temple and cheek. She watched Prison Station, hoping the charcoal she had bribed one of the Guards to sneak Clarke found her well. Abby pictured her ever-imaginative daughter drawing on any surface she could manage, just like she had as a little girl, the walls and floors of their quarters often shrouded with small masterpieces that neither she or Jake had the heart to wash away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took her a moment to register her own tears, and as she reached up to wipe the moisture from her cheek, a dueling ache in her heart, the floor creaked near the doorway and she jumped. Looking up, she found a familiar silhouette there, backlit against the emergency lights, tall but cautionary as he hovered. He’d found her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Marcus?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sniffled and squinted, trying to make out his face and absently wondering if he was going to drag her back to Alpha for being in an unauthorized sector. Instead, she watched him take a hesitant step forward, blocking out the remainder of the light behind his frame, illuminating his face in a gentle, cool ambient glow from the window.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” he murmured, voice filled with a quiet clemency that surprised her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not going to scold me?” she asked, chest heaving somewhere between a laugh and a sob as she wiped her eyes. A reflex. She didn’t want him to see her crying. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He silently crouched down next to her, and she could see worry etched into his brow, his dark eyes probing with concern. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” she reassured him quietly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, offering it to her. She hesitated before taking it, squeezing it in her palm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you… wanna talk about it?” he offered, voice low and soothing. He shifted a bit and pressed his weight onto his knee, still searching her face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not really,” she whispered, unable to hold his gaze. She had tried to remain strong when up against him her entire life, but he didn’t look at her with judgment; instead she was met by only his quiet, benevolent concern. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wordlessly removed her untouched meal tray from the window seat next to her and sat down, bringing a hand to rest on her knee. He gave it a squeeze, and she watched his Adam’s apple bob with a swallow, lips parting as he seemed to contemplate his next words. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I come here too, sometimes,” he confessed, head bowing. “It’s a good place to think, away from everyone else. And… it’s got a decent view of The Ark.” He glanced up at her knowingly, biting his lip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that your way of telling me you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> stalking me?” She fidgeted and gave him a half-hearted smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He caressed gentle circles on her knee with his thumb, and it sent shivers throughout her body. The tenderness of it made her eyes well with tears once again, and stubbornly she tried to blink them away, forbidding them to fall. One did, against her will, and rolled down her cheek, hot and stinging with salt. She shuddered and abruptly wiped it away with the handkerchief he’d given her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Abby,” he breathed, his large hand coming to cup her cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No, no, no.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The more he touched her, the more her resolve broke. She felt another hot tear escape. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to be so strong.” he whispered, eyes leveling on her firmly but so gentle. He really was seeing right through her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I do. Otherwise… everything falls apart.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A painful, gnawing pang evolved deep inside of her, aching and hollow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then let it. Let me help you,” he murmured, urging her knees down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She complied, too tired and sorrowful to muster up the strength to fight him, too tired of holding up the barriers. She let him push her legs out of the way and gather her into his arms, guiding her face down to his chest. It was more than she could take. The dam broke, leaving her a shuddering, sobbing mess, clinging to him as she finally allowed all of her grief and fear to spill out of her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She felt his hands, one stroking her hair and the other rubbing her back in comforting circles, felt his lips against her temple and his warm breath as he murmured soothingly. He held her and she lost track of time, swimming in memories and grief and wrapped up so tightly in the warmth of his embrace, a solace she hadn’t experienced since the loss of her husband. Finally spent, she glanced up at him. He looked so patient and gentle. This was not the face of her nemesis, and she silently wondered how much of his brute exterior was actually a facade. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I dreamt about you last night,” she admitted shyly, sniffling and biting her lip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He glanced down at her in surprise, a flush spreading onto his cheeks as realization seemed to dawn on him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is… is that why you showed up at my place this morning?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Sorry, I guess that was kind of presumptuous of me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No. No, Abby, it wasn’t.” He sighed and closed his eyes, tightening his hold on her. “But we don’t have to talk about that right now.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded and turned her head, leveling her gaze out the window as she leaned into him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you want to hear what my dream was about?” she teased.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He chuckled quietly. “I don’t know, do I?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We were in this room together. But it played out a lot differently than this.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can imagine.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She felt him kiss her hair and smiled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Abby, if you’re ready, I think I should take you home. You need to rest.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She tightened her hold on him and swallowed thickly, the idea panicking her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to be alone tonight,” she quietly confessed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then you don’t have to be. Let me take care of you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She glanced up at him and was met by affection, the longing inside of her expanding. He lifted his brows and smiled faintly but hopefully. She closed her eyes and nodded, exhaling and letting her fears dissipate, fading to the back of her mind where she could deal with them later. Much later. He helped her to her feet and brought her back to his quarters, washed her face with a warm cloth, gave her a shirt to wear, and helped her into bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you, uh… I can take the floor,” he offered sheepishly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not sixteen hours earlier, he’d fucked her with fervor against the wall of his shower. She let out a quiet giggle and scooted over, lifting the covers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Marcus, just come to bed. Please.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiled and slid in next to her, gathering her into his arms. She listened to his breathing settle into an even rhythm as he fell into what seemed like a light sleep, probably accustomed to listen for threats or danger from his Guard training. She watched as a single curl of hair fell onto his temple and reached up to gently push it back into place, because letting it stay there seemed too vulnerable, too tempting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The longing returned, and she let out a quiet sigh. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t fall in love with you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>But for the first time, Abby stayed until morning. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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